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Shillingford grabs five as NZ draw

Shillingford took 5 for 77 to put the WICB President\'s XI on the brink of victory before New Zealand battled to a draw.

St. John's, (Antigua): Offspinner Shane Shillingford's five-wicket haul on the final day of the three-day match against New Zealand on Sunday was not enough to earn him a spot in the West Indies squad for the first Test against the tourists starting on Wednesday.

The right-armer bowled brilliantly to take 5 for 77 to put the WICB President's XI on the brink of victory at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground before New Zealand battled to a draw as they finished on 181 for 8 in their second innings.

Shillingford, however, was not among the 13-man squad named by the West Indies selectors on Sunday evening. Facing a deficit of 177 in first innings, New Zealand's batsmen struggled for the second time in the match. Brendon McCullum top-scored with 51, Kane Williamson hit 25 while wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk averted defeat with an unbeaten 38.

Fast bowler Kemar Roach, who again bowled with pace, prised out Daniel Flynn with a snorter for one with just eight on the board before Martin Guptill dragged on left-arm seamer Delorn Johnson for seven at 24 for 2. McCullum and captain Ross Taylor (19) added 60 for the third wicket to steer the Kiwis away from danger before Taylor skied Shillingford to Shiv Chanderpaul at midwicket.

At 103 for 3, however, New Zealand seemed safe but McCullum top-edged left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul to Roach at deep square leg to trigger a slide where five quick wickets fell for 57 runs to leave the match in the balance.

However, van Wyk batted over two hours to add 23 with Neil Wagner (five not out) for the ninth wicket and secure a draw for the tourists. Earlier, the President's XI were dismissed for 326 after resuming at 299 for 7, with Shillingford getting 25 and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori finishing with 6 for 48.